Very rare that I skim through a book, or even with a skimming give it less than 3 stars but here we are. For example, "World war II" (with quotes) will give more precise results than World war II (without quotes). Wickham introduces his work with a good overview of where the scholarship in the Early Middle Ages has gone in the last few decades. Quotes By Chris Wickham. Only the Christian church survived to continue Rome’s legacy as it gradually, yet steadily, converted Europe to Christianity – and by then, Europe was far more Germanic in character than Ro. We’d love your help. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. The Inheritance of Rome is a work of remarkable scope and ambition. Search Tips. The Inheritance of Rome by Chris Wickham is the second book in the series the Penguin History of Europe, following The Birth of Classical Europe. “he sacked Rome in 410, an event which shocked the Roman world much as 11 September 2001 shocked the United States, a huge, upsetting, symbolic blow to its self-confidence; but it was without other repercussions,”, “To survive, Byzantine society and politics folded itself around the state.”, The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph & Diversity 200-1000, Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376-568, Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800, New African American Histories and Biographies to Read Now. This book includes the Arab world, Egypt and North Africa, the Byzantine Empire, etc., and again is grounded as firmly as possible in archaeology and critical readings of original source texts. Groundbreaking and full of fascinating revelations, The Inheritance of Rome offers a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. by Viking Adult, The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. But my final impression as one reviewer aptly said upon finishing this thing was, 'free at last, thank God free at last'. I have read this book in segments as shown below. The better chapters are those that pause on a subject as in description the building of Constantinople or the aristocratic hostilities and injustice on the poor. Augustine removed him, but did not depose him, and tried to transfer him to the nearby estate of Thogonoetum. It is a superb survey of current historical thinking for this time period. The inheritance of Rome. If you want a layman's introduction to current thinking about the 'Dark Ages' of Europe (400-1000 AD) this is it. Not even the Charlemagne chapter interested me. Author Bio Chris Wickham is Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College. He repeats this over and over, so you'll not get the wrong idea. Wickham introduces his work with a good overview of where the scholarship in the Early Middle Ages has gone in the last few decades. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 has 3 available editions to buy at Half Price Books Marketplace The Inheritance of Rome brilliantly presents a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. Certainly Arabia was never part of the Roman Empire, although obviously their conquests expanded into parts of the old Empire. Start by marking “The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000” as Want to Read: Error rating book. An ambitious and enlightening look at why the so-called Dark Ages were anything but that. Search Tips. --Literary Review (UK) … Who among us doesn’t love Western History from 400 CE to 1000 CE? Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We are not makers of history. Size of 'armies' , even population? See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. Welcome back. In addition to … I like the way the book is broken up into parts. I know I do and I get discombobulated around those who prefer to ignore this period of history, and frankly prefer not to talk to those kind of people if at all possible unless they know philosophy, science, mathematics, old movies or other periods of history! #2 : a history of Europe from 400 to 1000. Just couldn't get into it. Review: The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 by Chris WickhamIan Mortimer finds a gallop from Rome to the Renaissance misses out on the details Chris Wickham (Author) 4.5 out of 5 stars 92 ratings. Thankfully there is Chris Wickham: a Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and author of Framing the Middle Ages. The Inheritance of Rome by Lecturer in Medieval History Chris Wickham, 9780143117421, available at Book Depository with free delivery worldwide. This history is at its worst when it becomes such a forest of names, all too often with just “d. It also dates itself by not taking climatic events into account. Just to be clear: Chris Wickham does not believe that he can explain anything. The horrors described are no less than what Gibbon wrote. “The Weight of the Empire” describes the overextended Rom. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 is a 2009 history book by English historian Christopher Wickham at the University of Oxford. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of. Not even the Charlemagne chapter interested me. For a better book on this period, Peter Brown's. Nearly unreadable with all the names and lack of true context, which seems to be Wickham's point. He repeats this over and over, so you'll not get the wrong idea. Very rare that I skim through a book, or even with a skimming give it less than 3 stars but here we are. Maybe if I had more background in the late Roman Empire. Chris Wickham's "The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages" is a very good and witty survey of Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages that shatters many kinds of misconceptions on the period, even if I think it's at some points overrated. Antoninus turned out to be a bad man - he was young and from a poor family, he was promoted too fast - and he terrorized his village, extorting money, clothing, produce and building materials. If I took time to talk to those who don’t appreciate this period of history, I would tell them to read this book because Wickham tells this history better than almost anyone. Book 2 in a series of at least 8. This is "dry" history that is so well written and so interesting that even non-history fans might be interested in reading this. The constant references to “for more on the subject see chapter xx,” as if the reader would constantly stop and jump back and forth and expect to remember where he was in the forest before. I approached this book with an open mind. Lots going on. And yet I did read it and enjoy it almost every day for several months and finished it. There are strengths to the book, for instance an interesting focus on archaeology and what it can tell us about the past as compared with narrative texts. There are some nice photos of some of these very old buildings that might make a future trip more rewarding. What's sad is there are times the book just lights up; Wickham is an able enough writer. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, “he sacked Rome in 410, an event which shocked the Roman world much as 11 September 2001 shocked the United States, a huge, upsetting, symbolic blow to its self-confidence; but it was without other repercussions,”, “To survive, Byzantine society and politics folded itself around the state.”, “Theoderic ruled Italy from Ravenna, the western Roman capital, with a traditional Roman administration, a mixture of senatorial leaders from the city of Rome and career bureaucrats; he was (as Odovacer had also been) respectful of the Roman senate,”, “Augustine, as bishop of Hippo, appointed his monk Antoninus in the 410s to be bishop of a subordinate diocese at Fussala, one of Africa’s relatively few villages, in the hills of what is now eastern Algeria. Then, rampaging hordes of Germanic tribes swept across the whole of Europe, tearing down the decadant Empire as they went. Immensely learned, super dense, very well structured, and still incredibly readable, leaving out no details worth recounting. The Inheritance of Rome Immensely learned, super dense, very well structured, and still incredibly readable, leaving out no details worth recounting. For some reason I am currently obsessed with the early Middle Ages (or Late Antiquity). I feel that I should take a course in the subject (but not from Chris Wickham) so that I could really get a grasp on some concepts. I have read few books that were less 'illuminating' than this one. Yet. Nope, we should see things as they were seen at the time. The reviewer who mentions a pointillist writing style used a good term - except that with the painter Seurat t. This book has more detail than any book I have ever read and almost no narrative. Nearly unreadable with all the names and lack of true context, which seems to be Wickham's point. . Chris Wickham's "The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages" is a very good and witty survey of Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages that shatters many kinds of misconceptions on the period, even if I think it's at some points overrated. And yet it is difficult to find a really good book on this period of history. Let's be very, very clear: nothing in history is 'inevitable,' everything is 'contingent,' and we'd be fools to write history with our hindsight. Get this from a library! The various Penguin History series are all without footnotes and aimed at 'intelligent laymen' or undergraduate review course. For some reason I am currently obsessed with the early Middle Ages (or Late Antiquity). Let me also add that this "enlightening" of the period is exactly what in many ways was promised (and even required) from this work, yet I think there's a partially missing field, as we'll see. All Quotes “The first element of European politics for three centuries at least of early medieval rules was simply war.” (p. 378) The killing, blinding, cutting off noses, deaths by slow torture are more than I recall from Chinese history. Names/dates/names/dates of mostly obscure aristocrats, brothers, sons, enemies that even a glossary would probably not help in sorting out. The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages 400-1000 by Chris Wickham Publisher: Viking Length: 650 pages Author: Chris Wickham Price: $35.00 Format: Hardcover Publication date: 2009-08 Amazon Such an amazing course, and such a fascinating book!! This is an exceptionally detailed and well thought out book. Wickham's Inheritance of Rome is an excellent analysis of the period. The Inheritance of Rome [Wickham, Chris] on Amazon.com. “Theoderic ruled Italy from Ravenna, the western Roman capital, with a traditional Roman administration, a mixture of senatorial leaders from the city of Rome and career bureaucrats; he was (as Odovacer had also been) respectful of the Roman senate,” ― Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000 Too many names I'm not familiar with. We are made by history.” So, this January, as we celebrate Martin Luther King... To see what your friends thought of this book, The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000, Just to be clear: Chris Wickham does not believe that he can explain anything. This comes off as more a desire to say that the truth is in the middle than an actu. Wickham is clearly a very informed and top scholar but this one left me very cold and wiping my eyes at the sheer amount of detail without narrative focus. If you are a history person, then this is a must-read. The whole inclusion of the Muslim empires seems almost forced. A basic chronology of major events might have been a real help. "The Inheritance of Rome" is a work of remarkable scope and ambition. The Oxford scholar who wrote this tome in no doubt a specialist who knows more about this period than most who read this work. For readers interested in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages, it is a well-written, well-balanced, elegant, and lucid account. The Inheritance of Rome by Chris Wickham is the second book in the series the Penguin History of Europe, following The Birth of Classical Europe. Except for women: the political role of women in the early middle ages deserves about 15% of a book covering everything from the production of wheel-thr. Yet there entire pages. Only the Christian church survived to continue Rome’s legacy as it gradually, yet steadily, converted Europe to Christianity – and by then, Europe was far more Germanic in character than Roman. Welcome back. His handling of the Late Antique material (with which I'm most experien. He was also accused of sexual assault. Be the first to ask a question about The Inheritance of Rome. For example, "World war II" (with quotes) will give more precise results than World war II (without quotes). By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. It is not only full of fascinating history, brilliant historical tidbits and an interesting premise about the period 400-1000, but the best part is that Wickham can write a great book. About The Inheritance of Rome “The breath of reading is astounding, the knowledge displayed is awe-inspiring and the attention quietly given to critical theory and the postmodern questioning of evidence is both careful and sincere.”–The Daily Telegraph (UK) “A superlative work of historical scholarship.”–Literary Review (UK) The Inheritance of Rome is a work of remarkable scope and ambition. July 30th 2009 "Chris Wickham is Chichele Professor of Medieval History, and Faculty Board Chair 2009-12. I've read several of the books in this series; this is by far the weakest. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 Paperback – 28 Jan. 2010 by Chris Wickham (Author) › Visit Amazon's Chris Wickham Page. The Inheritance of Rome. It has only two weaknesses. The paucity of information obviously presents a real challenge and I am sure Professor Wickham knows his business but his communicative skills in this tome resemble some 9th century monk (ok, admittedly I have read no accounts by 9th century monks). ... Goodreads is the world's largest site for readers with over 50 million reviews. Perhaps the Dark Ages are something like that--unknowable. Wickham too often handwaves between continuity and change, frequently saying they both go too far, but without providing any convincing or integrated model, or even description, that would actually make an intermediate position plausible. Germans and Romans are portrayed as antagonists in a clash of cultures, pitting free-spirited, vigorous Germanic tribes against the imperial oppression of Rome and in some cases the Church. See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. Groundbreaking and full of fascinating revelations, The Inheritance of Rome offers a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. Digging deep into each culture, Wickham constructs a vivid portrait of a vast and varied world stretching from Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean. Like the earlier book, The Inheritance of Rome is more concerned with the uses the people of the era made of their understanding of the past than with giving a straightforward chronology of the era. [Chris Wickham] -- Historian Chris Wickham defies conventional views of the "Dark Ages" in European history with a work of rigorous yet accessible scholarship. The paucity of information obviously presents a real challenge and I am sure Professor Wickham knows his business but his communicative skills in this tome resemble some 9th century monk (ok, admittedly I have read no accounts by 9th century monks). That was attractive to me because I had considered this field back many moon ago when I was contemplating grad school and when the field was beginning to experience a modest revival. The Roman Empire conquered Europe unchecked until it met the Germanic tribes beyond the Rhine. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 by Chris Wickham starting at $7.74. Chapter such as these might as well have been done simply as a genealogical table or a dictionary with names and dates. Like the earlier book, The Inheritance of Rome is more concerned with the uses the people of the era made of their understanding of the past than with giving a straightforward chronology of the era. The reviewer who mentions a pointillist writing style used a good term - except that with the painter Seurat the dots actually cohere into a composition. I know I do and I get discombobulated around those who prefer to ignore this period of history, and frankly prefer not to talk to those kind of people if at all possible unless they know philosophy, science, mathematics, old movies or other periods of history! The Oxford scholar who wrote this tome in no doubt a specialist who knows more about this period than most who read this work. It is a broad history of the Early Middle Ages, the period after what is commonly called the fall of the Western Roman Empire (though multiple reviewers argue Wickham is critical of the view that Rome fell). I can only imagine a very small group of specialists interested in this period that was described not very long ago as the “Dark Ages” to go into such detail but for an amateur history student like me it is much like my reading a Chinese history textbook where most of the names and violent events remain Dark Ages. Here, the tenants told Augustine and their landowner that they would leave if he came.”, “Roman envoys to Attila’s court in 449 greatly offended the Huns when they said that, although Attila was a man, Theodosius II was a god; this was a self-evident statement in Roman eyes, even though the envoys were doubtless overwhelmingly Christian.”, “The gods were gone, but imperial status remained unchanged –divinus remained a technical term meaning ‘imperial’. 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